Shattered
by MellyxBrooks
Summary: When the love of your life walks away from you, and you don't go after her, you feel many things. One of those things is heartbreak. Even though Gabby Dawson or Matthew Casey won't admit it, both of their hearts are shattered.
1. Awkward Situations

**A/N: Hi everyone! My name is Melly, and while this isn't my first Chicago Fire fic, this is my first multi-chapter Chicago Fire fic. This idea came to me after the episode that took place this Tuesday. May I point out that the writers have broken my heart, and I'm very sad and angry right now. BUT, it's fine because I KNOW Casey and Dawson will find their way back to each other. 'Cause….they're meant to be. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing because if I did, Dawsey would've never broken up.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Awkward Situations<strong>

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><p>Matthew Casey stared at the door to his apartment for almost two minutes. The love of his life had just walked out of his life, and he had no idea how to take it.<p>

He wanted to go after her, he really did. More than anything in this world. But he didn't. He didn't go after her because he thought that him forcing himself to stay where he was would somehow help _her _through this.

The couple had faced a lot in the past couple of months. The death of Shay was still a very fresh wound for Gabby, even though she wouldn't admit it. But she had lost her best friend. She lost Shay because the two of them had switch places, and the only reason the two of them switched was because Gabby had asked her to.

That was a guilt that Gabby Dawson would have to carry around forever.

When they had started working together, they hadn't expected for things to lead them here, but they did. Sure, maybe it was true that everything happened for a reason, but no matter how hard he tried, Casey couldn't think of a reason for Gabby to walk away from him and their relationship. Why couldn't they just work this out together? They loved one another enough, and their relationship was most definitely strong enough. Nor could he think of a reason he didn't go after her. Other than to say it was to help her, but everyone knew that was lie. A way to make himself feel better.

For now, he used the wall to make himself better. When Kelly had entered the apartment later that night and asked what happened, Matt simply shrugged his shoulders telling his friend that he had an accident.

Sighing, Kelly only shook his head. "You need to talk to her," was all he said. He knew that Matthew Casey was very much in love with Gabby Dawson. It was very obvious to all of their coworkers. Although he also knew just how much of a toll it took on them now that they worked together. He had experienced that with Shay from time to time. Even though they weren't a couple, it did affect their friendship every now and then.

Needless to say, Casey didn't get any sleep that night. He tossed and turned all night. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Dawson's face. He was well aware that this wasn't easy on her either. If he had to guess, he would say that she had broke down crying the moment she walked out that door. - Little did Casey know, he was right.

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><p>When he went to work the next day and saw Gabby, the first he felt was sadness. He wanted nothing more than to take her face into his hands, kiss her with all he had, and tell her how sorry he was. How stupid it was of him to allow her to walk out the door, how he wanted to go after her. But he didn't, instead he went to get a cup of coffee.<p>

As did she, but you know what they say, great minds think alike.

The awkwardness between the two of them could be felt right away, but Gabby told him to go ahead and get his coffee.

"That's okay," Matt said avoiding her eyes. "This is my second cup anyways."

Dawson simply nodded, and then she noticed his hand. It looked painful, and now it was her turn to be filled with sadness. "What happened?" She mumbled.

"Nothing really," he mumbled.

The call they went on together later that day also felt awkward, but there was nothing they could do about it. Especially since Gabby was so sure that this whole thing "worked" for them. Dawson was one hell of a candidate, and he was proud of her. He was proud of _his _girl. After all, she was the reason Mills and Brett had been saved. He would never admit it out loud, but the moment she had found the trail, but the pieces together, and lead them to where Mills and Brett were, the first thing to cross his mind was: _That's my girl._

"I guess it works," Matt sighed. He didn't want to tell her how he really felt, and how this didn't work for him at all. He just wanted his girl back. The misery and heartbreak he was currently feeling. But if this made Gabby happy, then he would force himself to put on a smile and deal with it.

The thing was, he _knew _that this didn't make her either. Though he would never call her out on it.

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><p>"Dude, why don't you just talk to her?" Kelly asked later that night while the two friends shared a beer. He had to admit, the atmosphere felt extremely different without Gabby. There was a quietness to it, a sadness. He guessed that the sadness was a result of Casey being so lost without her.<p>

"I can't, okay? I, I want to...I really do, but I'm trying to do what's best for her, Kelly. What makes _her _happy. Right now I can't do what I want to, I jus-"

"You honestly think what's best for her is you not going after her, chasing her down and telling her how much you love her? Look man, I may not have a solid relationship, and I may move from girl to girl at times. But what you and Dawson have…" he paused for a moment. "That's real, and the last thing you want do is screw that up."

Matt knew that Kelly was right, but he still couldn't bring himself to call Gabby. Check on her, or just call to simply say goodnight. It was too hard right now. Too painful. He knew that if she were to pick up that phone, and he heard her voice...it would probably break him. Causing him to have more than one hole in the wall. "I just can't do it," he said with a shake of his head.

A heavy sigh left the lips of Severide as he took another swig of his beer. "If the death of Shay has taught me anything, it's that you never know when you're going to share that final moment with someone..." He whispered, pausing for a moment so he could regain his composure. "Shay is my best friend, Casey, and now she's just….gone. But that's the kind of job we have. We save peoples lives every single day, and we put _our _lives on the line to do it. Dawson almost lost you in that fire a few months ago. That hit you took to the head. No one knew how that was going to end. Every time we walk into a fire….into a situation, that situation could be the very last moment you see Gabby. You know that."

"I know…" Casey whispered back as his blue eyes looked down at his lockscreen of his iPhone 5. It was a picture of him and Gabby. The two of them looked so happy in the photo, and he could remember the moment clearly. He missed that happiness. He missed her smile. He missed _her_.

_[Flashback]_

_Tonight was a date night for Gabby and Casey. It wasn't something they got to do often, especially since the two of them were so busy. But they had decided to go ice skating together. It was something simple, yet sweet._

_After skating for nearly two hours, their legs had gotten tired, and snow began to fall. "Take a picture with me," Casey said. Tonight had been perfect, a moment he wanted to remember for forever._

"_Okay!" Gabby chirped, giving him that sweet smile he loved so much._

_Matt held him his phone at an angle, but it had caused Gabby to burst out into a fit of laughter because he wasn't able to get both of them in the shot. "Babe! Give me your phone! You don't know how the hell to take a picture when it's facing you!" She said in between her laughter. _

"_I do too!" He whined as his fiancée took his phone out of his hands. Gabby quickly took a picture of Matt pouting while she was laughing at him. "You're so cute when you pout," she smiled, kissing his cheek. "Now take a real picture with me."_

_Gabby smiled as as Casey leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Love you."_

"_Love you too." She said, and she meant it. _

_[End of flashback]_

He wasn't sure how he was going to make this right, or how he was going to do it, but Matthew Casey was going to get his girl back.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry that this chapter is so short, but I'm just trying to see how this would work out! Good? Bad? Worth continuing? Let me know in a review please, and hopefully I'll see you guys soon with chapter two! - Melly. **


	2. Denial

**A/N: Hi guys! I cannot thank you enough for all the reviews, favorites, and follows that I had gotten from chapter one alone! I was shocked! But it's truly awesome, as are you guys, thank you so much! From here on out I'm just going to see where my heart takes me with this fic! I love Dawsey to pieces, so this should be a fun time! Enjoy chapter two!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Denial<strong>

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><p>Casey paced the floor of his bedroom. It was way too hard to sleep. He felt so alone without having Gabby beside him, the room felt so empty. Yet, it was too hard for him to call her.<p>

He finally sat down on the bed, leaning against the headboard for support. His blue eyes drifted over to the nightstand, landing on a picture he had framed of Gabby and himself. He seemed to have pictures of them everywhere.

He picked up the frame, his fingertips tracing the outline of her facial features. She was so beautiful. _I miss you so much. I'm so sorry, I'm such an idiot._ Matt thought to himself.

Eventually, he was able to close his eyes and get some sleep. But of course he had dreamt of her. Gabby was always on his mind. Now all he had to do was tell her how he really felt, which was simply the fact that he couldn't be just friends with her. He was too in love with her.

When Matt woke up the next morning, he felt exhausted. Even though he had slept, it wasn't the kind of sleep he needed. It was the restless sleep you got when you had too much on your mind.

He picked up his iPhone off of the nightstand beside his bed, hoping that Gabby had texted him. Maybe it had become too much for her too. A sigh left him when he saw that there was nothing from her. If he wanted to fix thing, it was clear that he was going to have to be the one to make things right. Then again, maybe that's all she ever wanted to begin with. For him to chase her down, tell her not to go, and that he loved her.

He could be such an idiot sometimes.

Taking a deep breath, he scrolled through his contacts until he found her. He still had her saved as my love in his phone. He was going to have to change that. He quickly and reluctantly changed it back to Gabby. Then he pressed the call button.

"Hello?" The sleepy sound in Dawson's voice had let Casey known that he had woken her up. He felt slightly guilty. He hadn't meant to wake her up, he just needed to hear her voice.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you, I just…."

"You just woke up too, didn't you?" She asked as a smile crossed her lips. She nervously chewed down on her bottom lip as an image of Casey popped into her head. He always looked so cute when he first woke up because he always had bedhead. Dawson never minded, though, she found it too adorable.

"Yeah," he replied, chuckling lightly as he ran a hand through his messy hair. "Gabby, listen, I was hoping you and I could meet for coffee before our shift this morning. You know….talk about a few things."

"Sure," Gabby nervously replied. "I can meet you for a while. Coffee sounds good."

"Okay. I can pick you up in an hour if you would like," he told her, glancing at the clock.

"An hour sounds great. I'll see you then Matt," she replied before hanging up. She ran a hand through her hair before falling flat onto her back and looking up at the ceiling. What did she just agree to? She was supposed to be giving this whole "just friends" thing a try with Casey. However, she had just agreed to go on a date with him.

Wait. No one said this was a date. What the hell was she thinking? Oh yeah, that she was still so in love with him.

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><p>Matt arrived at her apartment later just as he promised. He rang the doorbell, and had to remind himself to breathe when he saw her standing on the other side of the door. Even though she was in nothing more than a pair of jeans and a simple sweater, he still found her beautiful. Especially since she had decided to leave her hair down. It wasn't often that she did. "Morning," he smiled.<p>

"Morning Matt," she replied, returning the smile. "Ready?"

Casey nodded his head while he waiting for her to lock the door. He then opened the passenger door to his truck for her so she could climb inside. "Thanks," she smiled. He was always a gentlemen to her. That was one thing she couldn't deny. The fact that she was still so in love with him? She had no problem denying that.

The ride to the coffee shop was a quiet one, but it didn't feel as awkward or uncomfortable as their past few encounters had been.

Gabby picked a booth where they could sit next to the window, and watch the snow begin to fall. But since it was in the corner, it also kept them away from everyone else. "Did you get your usual?"

"Yeah," Matt laughed as he took his seat across from Gabby. "Did you?"

"Of course!" She grinned before taking a sip of her large french vanilla coffee. "There is nothing better than that in the winter," she informed him, pointing to her cup.

Casey's blue eyes softened as he looked at the woman before him and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. She was so perfect.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Gabby asked, bringing Matt out of his thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, the firefighter waited a moment before replying. "I wanted to talk about us, Gabby. Yesterday on shift was so awkward, and the house is so quiet at night. I hate not having you with me, holding you in my arms while I sleep, I just...I shouldn't have let you walk away from me that night. From us. It was stupid of me. When I purposed to you and I told you I wanted us to be together forever, I meant that."

Gabby sighed heavily as she looked at the love of her life who sat across from her. She took another sip of her coffee, trying to figure out how to answer him, what to say. "Matt, I….I walked away that night for a reason. I could've come back, but i didn't….I just, I honestly think that it's best for us to have some space. It's a lot, you know….working together and then going home together and trying to separate it."

"I know it's hard, Gabby, I know. But I also know us, and the type of the relationship we have. I know that we can make this work. We're strong enough!" He said, getting slightly emotional. He wished that it could all be so much easier than what it had to be.

Chewing on her lower lip, Dawson had to force herself to hold back the tears. She wanted nothing more than to go back to Casey, to go home with him, and fall asleep in his arms at night. But it wasn't that simple. The two of them working together proved to be too much for their relationship, even though they promised each other they wouldn't allow that to happen.

But it did happen, and now they were both paying the price for it. They were both unhappy, and they were both heartbroken.

"Matt, you _know _I love you. You know that. Right now just isn't the right time for us to try to have a relationship while working together, okay? Please understand where I'm coming from. Maybe after you and I get more used to the whole….lieutenant and candidate thing we can try again at our relationship."

Matt shook his head from side to side. "I don't want to wait, Gabby. I _know _that we can do this." He whispered, looking down.

"I'm sorry, Matt." She whispered, the sadness in her voice was clear. She missed him, and she hated to see the man she loved looked so so sad. It didn't make her feel any better knowing that _she _was the reason for his sadness. She felt horrible, and she felt guilty, but she had to do what was best for her. She also thought that she was doing best for Matt too.

"I miss you, Gabby…." he softly admitted, his blue filled with sadness as he looked down at the table. It was too hard to look at her.

"I know, Matt….I miss you too...but….this is what's best, okay? Please believe me. I'm doing this to help us out. To better our relationship."

Sighing heavily, Casey sat there at a loss for words. "If this is what you want, the I guess that I'm just going to have to accept it," he mumbled, picking at a scratch on the smooth surface of the table top.

"Thank you…." She whispered as she stood up and put on her winter coat. "I'll see you at work, okay?" She forced a smile.

"Gabby! Wait! I can still give you a ride to work!" He called after her.

"No, that's okay," She told him as she forced another smile, and ran out of the coffee shop as fast as she could before Matt even had a chance to respond.

For a second time in two days, Matthew Casey let Gabby Dawson walk away from him. Only this time, it hurt about ten times worse.

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><p><strong>AN: This will bring chapter two to a close! Again, thank you SO much for all of the reviews, but PLEASE also take the time to review too! It really does help so much! They're so encouraging! I can't wait to see what happens on Tuesday, but I am nervous! Hopefully Dawsey will be okay! See you soon with chapter three! **


	3. Great Friends, Amazing Advice

**A/N: Hi guys! I'm back with chapter three of Shattered. I'm so glad that we are FINALLY getting an episode in honor of Shay. I cannot wait for it! I'm just really sad that I have to wait until February 3rd for it, but I know that it will be worth it. (: Enjoy chapter three!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: Great Friends, Amazing Advice<strong>

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><p>A couple of weeks passed since Gabby last spoke to Matt, but she just couldn't bring herself to talk to him. She would to work, do her job, and then go back to the apartment she was currently sharing with Brett.<p>

She wanted to go back home to Matt, she missed him more than anything, but everything somehow became so complicated. Why couldn't she just be happy without a care in the world? If you wanted to be happy, you had to work for it, and after everything you have go through to get to the point of your happiness, is it even worth it anymore?

Dawson wasn't so sure. She didn't have an answer to that question right now. She couldn't even count how many times she would wake up in the middle of the night, grab her phone off the nightstand, and consider calling Matt. Though she never called him, not once.

Thankful that her shift was over for the day, Dawson decided to go for a run. When she was in need of clearing her head, that was her choice ninety percent of the time. When she ran, she didn't have to think about anything, her mind was free from all the drama, and there was nothing she wanted more than to forget it.

After running for an hour and a half, Gabby knew that running wasn't going to help her this time around. She was going to have to talk to Matt. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't avoid him forever. He was the love of her life, and nothing would ever change that. There was a reason she said yes when he asked her to marry him. She really did want to be with him forever.

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><p>"What do you say to going out tonight and shooting some pool?" Kelly asked his friend.<p>

Casey lazily shrugged one shoulder. "Maybe another night."

"I knew you were gonna say that man, and you know what? That's not even an option for you. You and I are going out tonight. Drinking a couple of beers, shooting a few games of pool."

Matt frowned. "Kelly, I told you that I really don't feel like going out tonight," he groaned.

"That's because you're moping around. You're moping around because you're being stubborn and you refuse to talk to Gabby. I'm so close to locking the two of you in a room together," he told his friend. "I mean, honestly. The two of you need to get your shit together. I've never seen two people in such denial before."

Casey sorted. "I am _not _in denial about anything," he protested.

A loud laugh left Kelly's lips. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" He asked. "Because I could've sworn that I heard you tell me you aren't in denial."

"You did, because I'm not." The blonde firefighter mumbled.

Kelly shook his head. "I don't get why the two of you just won't talk to her. I mean, you love her, don't you?"

"Of course I love Gabby!" Casey almost yelled. "She's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Then why do keep letting her go? You let Gabby walk away from you for a second time."

"I know I did," he sighed as he raked a hand through his hair. "I just….I really wanna do what I have to do to make her happy…."

"You letting her go isn't what makes her or you happy. I can promise you that."

"I know….for now, I'm just giving her the space she asked me to give her. I'll talk to her when I think she's ready."

Kelly sighed, knowing that there was no changing Matt's mind. "Okay, but if you don't talk to her soon then I'm going to lock the two of you in a room together."

Casey frowned. "Dude...that's not even necessary…."

"It is if the two of you won't fix the problems yourself. When the two of you finally got together, you know what my first thought was?"

Matt shook his head. "No, not really," Casey replied. "You never really told me what your first thought was."

"I thought it's about damn time! So did everyone else. The two of you don't see it from our point of view. We see the way the two of you look at each other. The way you always hugged each other. Especially after she was gone for a couple of weeks. This was back before you guys even started dating. When she returned, you hugged her like you never wanted to let her go."

Casey felt a sadness wash over him as all of memories came rushing back to him. "I remember that," he mumbled.

"Who was there for you after Halie died?" Kelly reminded him. "Of course we were all here for you, but who was there for you the most? Who came to your house and found you in the middle of a breakdown because none of it made sense to you? Who held you while you cried?"

"Gabby," Matt whispered. He still remembered that night so clearly. His apartment was such a mess, just like he was. He had an endless amount of newspapers outside his door, and the inside of his place was trashed. Beer bottles were everywhere.

"Exactly. That girl fucking loves you, man. And I damn well know you love her."

"I know," he sighed.

"Just don't wait too long, okay? You two really are meant for each other. Anyway, I can tell you don't wanna talk about this anymore. So let's go get those beers and shoot some pool."

Casey nodded, and the two friends headed to the local bar.

They both ordered a burger and fries along with a beer. After they ate their meals, they played a couple games of pool, Casey winning both of them. He had to admit, it did feel good to go out with Kelly for the night, and have some guy time. He needed it more than he realized. "Thank you for this Kelly, you were right. I needed it."

Severide gave his friend a smile. "You're more than welcome man. I'm always here for you, I just hope that you come to your senses rather than later."

"I will," Casey promised. "Trust me, you helped me realize just how much of an idiot I've been tonight."

"Good!" Kelly grinned. He always loved to be right.

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><p>Gabby pulled the hood to her winter jacket over her head. The Chicago wind was much more bitter than usual today. Dawson's brown eyes scanned over all the gravestones that surrounded her.<p>

It made her feel sad, seeing all of these headstones, knowing that all of these firefighters lost their lives one way or another.

Eventually, she found the grave her was looking for. "Hey Shay," she whispered as she sat down cross-legged in front of the stone.

A heavy sigh left her lips. This had been the first time she came to visit Shay since she had passed away, but this was something she really did need to do. "I came here because I miss you so much. It's not the same without you. My life has been a mess since I lost you, and I feel like everything is falling apart. This is when I need you the most but you aren't here with me anymore. On the plus side, we're finally going to have a ceremony in your honor, Shay. It's been a long time coming. Kelly and I will both be speaking on your behalf. We're close to finding out who murdered you, Shay. I promise that both of us will find out the answer."

Dawson paused for a moment. "Casey and I broke up," she whispered. It felt weird to say it aloud. It felt weird to say it aloud because that's when it became real to her. Tears quickly filled her eyes, and she didn't bother to fight them. She knew that she needed to cry.

The wind seemed to pick up in that moment, and Gabby took it as a sign that Shay wasn't happy about the news Dawson had just shared with her. She couldn't help but to chuckle softly as she pictured Shay freaking out, telling her to fix things with Matt right here and now in this moment. She could picture Shay not getting off of her case until things were fixed.

"I know, I know….I need to fix things with him, don't I?" She asked softly, looking up at the sky. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Casey let me know that you helped him pick out my engagement ring. I should've known that the two of you were up to something the day I woke up to you measuring my finger with a piece of paper." A small laugh leaving her lips as she tucked some of her hair into her hood.

"The ring is beautiful Shay. The night after Casey purposed to me for a second time...it was so cute Shay," she told her best friend as the memory filled her mind. "He was training me to become a better candidate, and...when I got to the top of the stairs, I found my ring waiting there for me. It was all so perfect. When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I wanted to was tell you, but I couldn't…." she whispered as more tears started to roll down her cheeks. "God, I miss you Shay…."

Gabby was quiet for awhile, trying to make her decision. Then she spoke again. "Okay, you're right. I need to talk to Matt. I'll call him as soon as I get home. I promise. I miss him, and I know for sure that if you were here, that none of this would happen. So I'm going to do what I need to do and make this right," she promised her friend as she stood up, and brushed the snow off her jeans.

"I love you girlie," she whispered, kissing the cold stone. "I'll be back soon. I promise. Kelly will more than likely be with me. We both miss you so much. Rest easy, Shay. We love you."

As soon as Gabby walked through the door, she was thankful to see that Brett was gone for the time being. She guessed that her roommate had decided to go out with Cruz for a bit, or even spend the night with him. Either way, she was glad that she could make this phone call while she was alone.

She went into the bedroom, closed the door and sat on the bed cross-legged. She leaned against the headboard for support, and grabbed her gold iPhone 5s and she went through her contact list until she found Matt's name.

Her thumb hovered over his name for a few moments, and then she finally hit the call button once she worked up the courage. After two rings, she heard his voice on the other side of line, it made her heart skip a beat. God she missed him. "Hello?"

"Hi Matt," she whispered softly, chewing on her thumbnail. "Can I come over?"

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><p><strong>AN: Yay! Chapter three is complete! Thank you for all the reviews and follows the story has gotten this far, but please take the time to review this chapter! It would mean a lot. Thank you so much. - Melly. **


	4. A Brand New Start

**A/N: Hi everyone! I'm sorry that chapter four took me a little longer to post. I've been busy with school and work! But, I hope you enjoy this one nonetheless!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Four: A Brand New Start<strong>

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><p>Matthew Casey held his breath on the the other side of the line. He had to remind himself to breathe. "Gabby," he breathed her name. "I would love it if you came over."<p>

"Great!" Gabby Dawson replied, trying her best not to sound too excited. Her heart was racing, and just the thought of seeing Casey made her nervous, but this was something she needed.

This was something they both needed.

"I'll see you when you get here," he said to her, sounding really happy. "I'm glad you're coming over, Gabby. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," she replied. "I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

Sure enough, Dawson was at Matt's place within twenty minutes just as she promised. The only problem was, once she was there, Gabby quickly became too nervous to knock on the door.

She had no idea how Matt figured it out, but after a few minutes of just standing there, she received a text from him.

_Don't be so nervous. Just knock._

Chuckling softly, Gabby could feel a light blush cover her cheeks. Moments later, she knocked on the door.

The candidate of fire truck fifty-one could feel her heart pounding out of her chest as she waited for her ex-fiancé to open the door.

However, all of that nervousness went away as soon as he opened the door, giving her the sweetest smile she had ever seen.

He was so cute.

"Hey," she whispered, tucking some of her brown hair behind her ear.

"Hey," he grinned, seeing no reason to hold back his excitement.

Once he stepped aside, she came inside, and he closed the door behind her. "Can I get you something to drink?" He asked her.

"A beer would be great," she answered as she hung up her coat. As she followed him into the kitchen, she walked past the hole he punch in the wall a couple of weeks ago. She frowned. So _that's _what he meant by "accident".

He handed her a beer, and grabbed one for himself. "We can sit on the couch if you want. Order a pizza if you're hungry. Put on a movie," he suggested with a shrug as he took a sip of his beer.

He didn't care what they did. All that mattered was that Gabby was here with him.

"I'm down for all of that," she replied with a kind smile. "The question is, what movie?"

"I'll let you pick," he decided. He was down for anything she wanted to do. Whatever made her happy, would make him happy.

"Well…" she slowly started. "I know it's a Nicholas Sparks movie, but if we watch _A Walk to Remember_, we'll see Shay because she had a small part in that movie." She explained, a smile crossing her lips at the thought of her laid best friend.

"That sounds perfect Gabs," he told her. "Did you bring the movie with you?"

Gabby slowly nodded her head. "I only bought along it just in case. We don't have to watch the movie if you don't want to. I just thought it might be a nice idea." She shrugged.

"Of course it's okay. I don't mind watching it with you. It sounds nice, actually. I'm just really glad you're here. It's been an eye opener of how of a jerk I was to you. I should've never crashed at that girls apartment. That was stupid of me."

Dawson shook her head. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I overreacted. I know you're not a cheater, and I know you would never hurt me. I guess my jealousy just kind of….took control of the situation when that blonde returned your phone to me. I assumed things that I never should've assumed in the first place. I'm so sorry Matt," she whispered.

"I'm sorry too," Casey whispered back. "I shouldn't have gotten that wasted that night. I can't even remember why I got that wasted in the first place. I think that Kelly and I were just having a really, really good time." He sighed, "but obviously we can have fun without alcohol, too."

Gabby gave him a weak smile. "Don't put this all on yourself, okay? We were both wrong," she reminded him. "Let's consider tonight a brand new start."

The blonde firefighter nodded his head in agreement. "All right. Now how about that movie?" He asked with a grin as he ordered their pizza while Gabby put in the DVD.

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><p>By the end of the movie, almost the whole pizza was gone, and they had each finished one beer. "Tonight was fun," Gabby admitted as she sniffled. Of course, the end of the movie had brought her to tears.<p>

But that's how every Nicholas Sparks movie had her by the end.

Casey chuckled softly, reaching forward as he brushed away a stray tear off of her cheek. "I knew you were going to cry," he softly mumbled.

Dawson nodded as she smiled. "So did I," she laughed. "But in my defense, all of his movies make me cry. Not just this one."

"You and every other girl on the planet."

Gabby laughed again. "Point taken," she replied as she tucked some hair behind her ear. "I guess I should get going before it gets too late. Tonight was a lot of fun though, thank you again."

"You don't have to thank me. This is something we both wanted, remember?" He paused for a moment. "Gabby…..you don't have to go home. You could stay here. You remember that this is your place too, don't you?" He shook his head. "It hasn't been the same since you left."

Dawson sighed softly. She didn't know if she was ready for this, to try again with Matt. "I know it hasn't been the same because it's not the same for me without you at the apartment either." She admitted. "I just….I don't want us to rush back into this only to hurt each other again, you know?"

Casey nodded his head. "I know, but I trust you, and if you trust me. I know that we can give this thing a second chance."

Dawson chewed on the inside of her lower lip. Of course she trusted him, how would it look if she didn't? "Matt, you know that trust isn't the issue. It's trying to work together as well as be in a relationship. It's hard. It puts a strain on us."

"I know. But something you said to me that stuck out to me was we never talked anymore. I..I promise to change that. I promise that I'll talk to you more, ask you about your day. The things I should've been doing. The questions I should've been asking as your fiancé. It shouldn't have taken me this long to realize all this, but it did.

Gabby sat there for a few minutes, thinking to herself. She could tell that Matt was truly sorry. She knew he never meant to hurt her.

Every time she pushed it Matt away, it hurt her too. She couldn't push him away anymore.

Finally, after a couple of minutes she said, "okay, I'll spend the night."

"I'll take the couch if you want," he offered.

Gabby shook her head. "Matt, we shared the same bed for months. Us sharing the bed tonight will be no different." She offered him a weak smile.

"Okay," he agreed, smiling back. "Do you need something to sleep in?"

"Yes please."

Nodding his head, Matt made his way towards the bedroom upstairs, Gabby following close behind. "Will this work?" He asked, turning around to show her a grey t-shirt and grey plaid pajama pants.

"This is perfect." She replied, taking the items. "This is my favorite t-shirt of yours…." she mumbled. Dawson then carelessly tossed her shirt and bra aside before pulling the grey shirt over her head. Her hair becoming messy in the process.

He smiled. "I remembered. That's why I pulled that one out."

She returned the smile. "Thanks Matt."

The two exes got into the bed they once shared. Matt leaned against the headboard as he waited to see how Gabby wanted to handle this. He was shocked when she ended up snuggling into him.

But he wasn't going to push her away. He wanted this more than anything. "Are you sure?" He murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

"Of course I'm sure," she answered quietly. "I want to be here with you, Matt. I want to be in your arms. I've missed being held by you at night. Besides….this is our fresh start, remember?" She reminded him.

"I remember," he said. His voice was just as quiet. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "Thank you for giving me a second chance."

"You're welcome, my love. Get some rest, okay?"

"I will, Gabs. Goodnight," he whispered, turning out the light.

"Goodnight, Matt," she quietly said as she closed her eyes, getting the best nights sleep in weeks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Chapter four is complete! Woo! Don't worry, the next chapter will be a longer one. :] I hope you enjoyed this one! Please don't forget to leave a review! -Melly.**


	5. Closure

**A/N: Hi everyone! I'm back with chapter five of Shattered! I have to say that I absolutely cried my eyes last week. The dedication to Shay was so, so, so beautiful. Oh my gosh do I miss her. Lauren actually favorited one of my tweets a while ago, so that was great! :') Anyway, enjoy chapter five! - Melly.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Five: Closure<strong>

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><p>The past couple of weeks for Matt and Gabby had gone smoothly, the two of them keeping things simple, but they both did agree to spend more time together. She would go back to Matt's after shifts every now and then. He always told her it was her home, and that it would be her home forever.<p>

Today was going to be a rough day, however. Because later on in the afternoon, they would be finally having their ceremony for Shay. Even though Gabby knew what she was going to say, the candidate of firehouse fifty-one was still nervous.

She felt as if this was going to make it real, like this would set it all in stone. After today, she would have to come to terms with the fact that Shay was gone, and that she would never see her best friend again.

Of course, she already knew this. She just like speaking at the ceremony today is what made it truly official.

It was all she could think about throughout the afternoon. The dedication to Shay, and what she was going to say when it came time for the ceremony. Though, when Matt had got trapped in a building fire, regardless of the fact that it was only for a brief couple of moments, it scared her. Because she knew that when it came to this job, a couple of moments gone wrong could be what costs you your life.

She couldn't lose someone else.

Gabby was glad that Megan, (Shay's sister) had been around all week while they tried to track down the man who killed her best friend. She wasn't glad that it was _this _type of situation that brought them back together again though. She much would've rather met with Megan on a happy note.

Not the death of her sister.

Megan stayed with Gabby and Brett for the next couple of days since they didn't want her to stay alone. After all, they easily considered Megan to be family.

Matt walked back to towards his office to find Gabby sitting on one of bunks, leaning against the wall for support with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her brown eyes that were usually so bright and clear looked to be dull, and clouded with a mixture of confusion and sadness.

Frowning, he went and sat down next to her. "What's on your mind Gabs?" He softly questioned, placing a hand on her leg.

Jumping slightly, Gabby pulled herself from her thoughts, and then relaxed once she saw that it was Matt sitting beside her. "Oh, hi Matt," she looked up at him, giving him a warm smile.

Matt smiled back, bringing a gentle hand to the side of her face. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Gabby shook her head, tucking some of her brown hair behind her ear. "It's nothing really," she said quietly.

Matt's smile quickly turned into a frown. He knew there was something that Gabby was keeping from him. "Gabby," he murmured, brushing some of the hair that got into her eyes out of her face. "Talk to me. What is it?"

"I'm just really nervous to give my speech at Shay's ceremony, and it's all going down in about about half an hour. I don't know if I can do this Matt." She shook her head. "I don't think I'm ready."

Sadness rushed through Matt, the blond firefighter hated to see his girl like this.

Yes, even though they weren't back together yet, he still considered Gabby his girl.

She always would be.

"I know how hard this is going to be for you. But I also know you, and you, Gabbrelia Dawson are one of the strongest people I know. If not _the _strongest. I know that you will get past this, and I promise to be here, by your side every single step of the way."

Tears filled Dawson's eyes as she looked into the blue eyes of her ex-fiancé.

She loved his eyes so much. She loved _him _so much.

"I know you will be," she finally answered in a low whisper. "It's just hard, you know?"

"I know," the blond said with a nod. "But it will get easier, Gabs. You just have to believe that it will. Think of this as your closure. Allow for this to be your closure. You need it."

Gabby nodded her head slowly as a single tear started to roll down her cheek. She reached up to wipe it away, but Matt had beaten her to it, wiping it away for her. She forced a weak smile. God, she missed his touch.

In the next moment, their eyes were locked. His blue orbs locked with her beautiful brown ones. Their heads leaning in closer and closer….

A knock at the door caused both of them to jump. "It's time you guys," Mouch said softly, totally unaware of the fact that he had ruined a moment.

Dawson quickly nodded her head, clearing her throat. "We'll be there in just a second, thanks Mouch." She told him as she stood to her feet. "I'll see you out there," she told Casey.

* * *

><p>Chief took a deep breath before he began speaking. He right away explained the love and hate relationship that he had with these types of ceremonies, and rightfully so. While they were truly beautiful, they were also a reminder that they had lost a family member that they loved so much.<p>

Once he was finished, he allowed Gabby to take her turn. She took a deep breath before she started, hoping that it would help calm some of her nerves. "Many things have changed since the passing of Shay," she shakily started. "We lost someone we all loved. But that doesn't change the fact that _we _are still a family. Shay was the strongest person I have ever known, and I _know _for a fact that she wouldn't want us to be sad anymore." She added, her voice cracking.

"Shay would want us to move on from this, to become stronger from this. If we all have to lean on someone in order to do that, then by all means, lean on someone. We all have someone in this house we can lean on," she explained, making eye contact with Matt for the briefest of moments. "And we will, we just have to allow ourselves to heal." Gabby continued, as her eyes landed on Megan. "Shay was an amazing woman. You had a wonder sister. Her personality was one that made everyone's day _so _much better. She _always _knew how to make me laugh when I needed it. I know that Shay will always be with us. In our hearts."

After Gabby was done speaking, the rang the bell three times, and the men and women of fifty-one honored her by doing their salute. She glanced over to Kelly, who was in tears. It was in that moment that she could no longer hold back her tears either. She had her closure with Shay, and she knew now that everything was going to be okay. _Rest easy, Shay. I love you._ She thought to herself.

Her brown eyes watched as Kelly slowly made his way over to the ambulance, pulling off the purple cover that was over the driver side door. Fresh tears left her eyes once she saw Shay's name was on the door.

This really was her house. Her home, and it would be forever.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Matt said, answering his phone as he closed the fridge, and took a swig of his beer.<p>

"Hey Matt," Gabby replied, his voice shaky. He immediately knew that she had been crying before she called him.

"Gabby," he said softly as he set his beer down on the counter. "You've been crying. What's wrong?"

"I, I was just hoping that I could come over...it's been a long day, and I really need someone to lean on." She explained, her voice cracking. "And honestly….there's no one else I rather lean on than you," she quietly admitted.

"Of course you can come over. You know that the door is always open for you, Gabby. No matter what."

"Okay, thank you." She responded, clearing her throat. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

Surely enough, Gabby was over in ten minutes on the dot. Matt guessed that she had sped to get here.

As soon as he opened the door, she fell into his arms sobbing. He held her tight as his fingers ran through her hair.

A person could only be strong so long before they broke.

This was Gabby Dawson's breaking point.

"Shhhh," he whispered into her ear as he picked her up into his arms, cradling her as if she was a small child. He kicked the door shut with his left foot, and reached forward to lock it, making sure to still have a strong hold on Gabby.

The blond firefighter walked upstairs to his bedroom, still holding her in his arms. He spoke soft, soothing words to her as he kicked the door to his bedroom closed with his foot, too.

He gently placed her on the bed, looking for the grey t-shirt of his that she loved so much. Remembering that he washed it, he went over to the dresser, pulling it out. He then made his way back over to Gabby who was still in tears.

His eyes locked with hers, and they spoke without saying a word. She slowly lifted her arms over her head, and Matt pulled her shirt over her head. He carefully removed her bra as well, knowing that she wouldn't want to sleep in it.

He then put his grey t-shirt on her, knowing that this would bring her some level of comfort. He hadn't seen Gabby cry this hard in months. It broke his heart.

Next to come off were her jeans as he helped her slide into a pair of black sweats.

After stripping himself of everything but his boxers, he turned out the bedroom light, and sat down behind her.

It wasn't even ten seconds after he was beside her did he felt Gabby's body collapsed against him. Her tears soaking his bare chest. "Shhhh, baby. Shhhh, it's okay. It's going to be okay, just breathe." He whispered into her hair, his fingers still running through it.

He hadn't meant to call her 'baby', but in this moment, it just had kinda slipped.

Gabby didn't say anything, not that he expected her to. After crying for almost an hour, her soft breathing let him know that the love of his life had finally fallen asleep.

Matt knew that Gabby was officially on her way to getting her closure she so desperately needed. She needed to allow herself to grieve correctly, and tonight was the first step of that.

Casey also knew that the girl he loved so much was a broken mess. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he promised himself that _he _was going to be the oneto put her back together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wow does it feel really good to have this chapter up! I have to admit, this is personally my favorite chapter so far! So please take the time to review! It really would mean so much! See you soon with chapter six! -Melly **

****P.S. I was totally screaming over the Dawsey cuteness with the baby in this episode! loved it! *goes into a rant all the sudden* BUT WHAT THE HECK IS KELLY DOING TELLING MATT TO GO BACK ON THE MARKET? UMMMM...NO. AND THAT HOOK UP. AND THE ENDING. CRIED YET AGAIN. AND THE PART WITH SHAY. AND AH, DONT EVEN MENTION THE PREVIEWS. DID HE SAY HIS BOSSES WIFE? *ends rant here* ****


	6. Here to Stay

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to post another chapter, everyone! It's been really busy with school and work as usual! So sad we don't get an episode tonight, but I hope you enjoy this chapter! - Melly.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Six: Here to Stay<strong>

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><p>The next morning when Gabby awoke, the first thing she did was reach out for Matt. He was there to meet her touch. "Good morning," he whispered into her hair, placing a kiss on her temple. "How did you sleep?"<p>

"Good," she answered truthfully. "I'm sorry that I just showed up the way I did last night. I didn't know what else to do, where else to go, I just…"

The blond firefighter shook his head. "Gabby, you don't have to say sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. You and are friends. I'm here for you. That's not going to change. I will always be here for you, protect you, and have your back. All you have to do is trust me, and let me in."

Gabby nodded her head. "I know, you're right. Maybe we could go out tonight. Just you and me, you know, go and see a movie or something."

"Anything you wanna do, Gabby, I'm fine with. Should we consider tonight a date?"

A light blush covered Gabby's cheeks. She had to admit, she did give thought to dating Matt again. He _was_ the love of her life, and he always would be. That would never change. "I guess that we could consider tonight a date. Why not? But what are we gonna do?"

"Well…" Matt paused for a moment. "It's the middle of winter in Chicago….we could always go ice skating together."

Gabby laughed. "And you could fail at taking another picture of us together." She laughed again. "That was so funny."

"Hey! That wasn't my fault!" Matt protested. "In my defense, it's very hard to balance on skates _and_ take a picture."

A small giggle left Gabby. "It's okay, Matt. We'll stick to _me _taking the pictures," she teased, sticking out her tongue at him.

"Oh whatever," Matt pouted. "Let's see if you can get ready in less than an hour."

Gabby gave him a look, getting out of the bed. "Let's go to the pizza place down the street before we go ice skating. We could even get hot chocolate afterwards!" She exclaimed.

"Hot chocolate, hm?" He questioned, chuckling lightly. "It's most definitely going to have to be a date then."

Gabby grinned brightly at him. She couldn't wait for tonight.

* * *

><p>The two of them headed towards the ice rink around seven. It was snowing slightly, but neither of them minded. Especially considering the events. It snowing only made it slightly more romantic, and Gabby loved that feeling. "Ready?" She asked him once the both of them had tied their skates.<p>

Matt nodded his head. "Yep! Just remember that you can hold my hand if you need it!"

Gabby smiled. "You'll need my hand more than I'll need yours." She winked, stepping onto the ice with ease.

Matt was behind her, but seconds later, he fell onto the ice, easily losing his balance. "Goddamn it," he mumbled.

Dawson couldn't help but laugh. "Need a hand Matt?"

"Please," he sighed, holding out his hand, managing to have the cutest look in his blue eyes.

Dawson helped him up, and the two friends skated around for the next hour and a half. Their fingers stayed intertwined, and Gabby leaned into his side for support. "Tonight was needed. I think we both needed to have some fun after everything we've been through these last few months. It's been kind of crazy…" she trailed off, sighing softly. "But I have no idea where I would be if it wasn't for you. Thank you so much for everything."

Matt placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. He loved her, and he was glad that it was _him _who was the one who was helping him through this. He wouldn't want it to be anyone else. "Does hot chocolate still sound good?" He softly asked.

"Oh for sure," Gabby smiled, her brown eyes lighting up with excitement. "That's the only good thing about cold winters in Chicago."

Casey laughed. "Lets grab some pizza first though because I'm starving. Then we can go and get your wonderful hot chocolate."

"Deal," Gabby grinned, before bumping a closed fist with Matt.

* * *

><p>Dawson walked into the pizzeria holding Matt's hand, and she had to admit, it did smell really good.<p>

The two of them decided on the classic of cheese and pepperoni pizza. "Wow," the brunette said, finishing up her third slice. "You're right. This pizza is really good. Thank you for paying, it was delicious."

"I'm glad you liked it," he replied, finishing his third and last slice as well. "Now how about we go and get that hot chocolate you've been waiting all day for?"

Just like she had walked into the pizzeria holding Matt's hand, Gabby had walked into the coffee shop doing the same thing. "Are you going to get one too?" She asked him, looking up at her ex, her brown eyes bright.

"Of course I will. I can't just sit here and watch you drink a hot chocolate and have nothing for myself," he shook his head.

Gabby giggled, going up to the counter. "Two hot chocolates, please! Whip cream on both of them!" She added.

The young girl gave her a warm smile, took her money, and handed Gabby her change before going to make their drinks. Feeling rather cheerful and happy, Gabby put the two dollars that was her change in the tip jar. "Thank you so much," the young girl politely replied. "The two of you make a really cute couple," she shyly added.

Dawson couldn't help but to blush. "We're just really, really good friends, but thank you for the compliment!" She gave the girl another smile before headed over to Matt and handing him his drink.

"So we make a really cute couple, huh?" He winked at her before headed out of the shop, and sitting down on a nearby wooden bench.

"I guess you could say that," Gabby winked back before sitting down beside him and taking a sip of her drink. "Mmmm," she said, closing her eyes. "Still my favorite."

Matt chuckled softly. "I'm glad you still enjoy it so much," he smiled at her before taking a sip. "It is good, though. A classic."

Gabby was going to say something, but she had busted out laughing instead. "What's so funny?" Matt frowned.

"You have whip cream on your nose," she laughed again. "You're a mess, Matt."

He went to go and get it off, but Gabby stopped him. "Let me," she murmured, reaching up, and brushing it off with her thumb. In that moment, their eyes locked, and Gabby could feel that the air had changed. She placed her hot chocolate down on the ground by her feet slowly, but her eyes never left Matt's.

It was as if she could read his mind. She knew that he wanted to kiss her, and that made her nervous. But she wasn't going to allow herself, or her nerves to push Matt away this time.

The blond firefighter took her face into his hands, kissing her with all he had. The kiss deepened within moments, and he heard Gabby gasp softly. "Sorry," he whispered against her lips, out of breath himself. It had been forever since he kissed her, and it had taken him by surprise.

"Don't be sorry," she mumbled back, kissing him again. She forgot how wonderful he made her feel, the chills that were sent through her body each and every time they kissed. "I missed that," she breathed once she had pulled away.

"I missed it too," he back, and his lips were again. "I missed you, Gabbs."

"I missed you too, but it's okay, because I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere I'm here to stay."

**A/N: Yay! Our couple is finally back together! My heartstrings are being pulled at currently on the show, and I can only hope they fix things between them soon. Very soon. :( - Melly.**


	7. Our Song(s)

**A/N: OMG. I AM SO SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET A CHAPTER UP! But my life has been crazy between classes, studying, homework and my job. So since I made you guys wait two weeks for a new chapter, I tried to make this one just a little extra cute. ;) Enjoy! I love you guys! - Melly.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven: Our Song(s)<strong>

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><p>When Gabby woke up beside Matt the next morning, she couldn't help but to smile. It felt good to be with him again officially. "Morning," she softly whispered, kissing him on the lips.<p>

"Hey you," he replied. His tone of voice was just as quiet. "How did you sleep?"

"Really well. You know, considering I woke up next to my boyfriend," she grinned.

Chuckling softly, he locked with eyes with her, and gave her a few kisses. "We're meant for each other, Gabby, you know that? I couldn't stay away from you, or date someone else because it just doesn't feel right," he explained.

"When you find someone and you know that they're the one for you, when you know that you're going to spend the rest of your life with them, that you would do anything for them, and I without a doubt would do anything for you, Gabby. It's in _that_ moment that you _know_...the person who meets all those points...it's forever. You and me...us...we are forever, Gabby. You're _the_ _one_ for me, I have always know that, though. I've known from the moment of our first kiss."

Dawson smiled, looking into the blue eyes of Casey. "We have the best kind of love. The love that makes your heart hurt sometimes. It hurt _how strong_ the love is. But it's the best kind of hurt because it lets you know that you're falling more and more in love with that person. Sometimes I get afraid Matt, and sometimes I want to push you away, but this break that we had made me realize that you _are _the one for me. I don't want to be with anyone else."

Casey smiled, he was glad that his girlfriend was starting to open up with him again. But he too was starting to open up with her. One of the reasons they had broken up in the first place was because of the fact she believed that the two of them didn't talk enough. But he was going to change that. Matt was going to anything he needed to so he could to Gabby that he wanted to make this work.

He wasn't going to allow her to slip away from his fingers ever again. Sitting up, he ran a hand through his blond hair, which was currently messy from sleep. He felt the brown eyes of Gabby watching him as the sheets fell, exposing his chest as they pooled around his waist. "I want you to know that I'm going to start trying harder to make things the way they used to be between us, Gabs. You know, when we used to talk, and laugh all the time? When we come home from work, I'll cuddle with you, and I'll ask you about your day. I'll even watch a cheesy movie with you if you want to."

Looking up at him as she propped herself up on her elbow for support, Gabby couldn't help but to smile. She had been wondering where this side of her boyfriend had been for months, and she had missed it. "I believe you, Matt. And I'm sorry. I never should've thrown all of that in your face because it takes two. A relationship is a two way street, not a one way street."

"I know," he replied, a soft sigh leaving his lips. "But I should've tried harder, you know? Isn't that kind of the guys' job in a relationship anyway? To make you feel special and loved?"

"Well yes," Gabby said with a giggle. "But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't try to make you feel special too. Of course I should. You're my boyfriend."

Returning the smile, Matt leaned down a kissed her forehead. "It's nice that we have a shift off for once, you know? We can finally catch up on some sleep, be lazy, cuddle, watch a movie. Do whatever it is you want."

"That is nice," Gabby agreed. Then she fell quiet for a moment. "Hey Matt? I know this is going to sound probably really cheesy, but you know how couples have their...songs?" She asked, looking up at him, her brown eyes wide and bright.

"Yes," he chuckled.

"What do you think ours would be?" She asked, resting her head in his chest. The tone of her voice had suddenly become full of innocence.

"Hmmm, I don't know…" Matt replied, his voice a soft whisper. "You tell me what you think first. You're the girl. This is a girl thing."

Gabby laughed. "Ummm…." she mumbled, trying to think. "At first, when we were having all of our issues, I would have to say _I Just Can't Live a Lie _by Carrie Underwood, no doubt. The song was _so_ true because no matter how long I tried, I couldn't not be with you. You're way too important to me, and I couldn't deny that anymore. But now...I would have to say…._Still Fallin_' by Hunter Hayes. I mean….everyday, there's something new I find out about you, or something else that makes me fall more in love with you...I don't know, I can't really explain it. But what about you?" She hopefully asked.

Matt thought about it for a few more moments before responding. Truth be told, he already knew which song he was going to say. He had known since she had first brought it up. "_Never Stop_ by Safetysuit." He finally answered. "The song is absolutely perfect, and it explains how I feel about you. You are my girl, you always have been, and you always will be." He paused for a moment, and then he spoke again. "But if I had to pick two songs, like you did, my second choice would have to be _May I_, by Trading Yesterday. The song talks about protecting someone you love, and loving them. It's perfect."

"It's us," Gabby softly whispered, sitting up so she could grab her iPhone, once she had retrieved it from the dresser, she placed her head back in his chest as he ran his fingers through her silky brown hair absentmindedly. She took the time to listen to both of the songs, but when she had heard _May I_, Dawson could feel her heart melt into a puddle. _Never Stop_ had damn near brought tears to her eyes. It was the perfect wedding song.

"Do you still have my ring?" She asked after several minutes of silence.

"Of course I do," Matt responded. "I would never get rid of something so important."

A smile crossed the lips of Dawson. "Can I have it back please?"

Nodding his head, the blond firefighter opened the drawer to his nightstand, and moments later he held out her ring.

Gabby couldn't stop the grasp that left her lips when she had seen it. She _almost_ forgot how beautiful the ring was. Almost.

Matt smiled brightly at Gabby as he slid the ring onto her finger. She looked perfect wearing his engagement ring again. It had been too long since he last saw her wear it. "Perfect," he whispered against her lips as he kissed her softly.

Dawson looked at her ring, and then looked up and into the blue eyes of the man who was now her fiancé for a second time. This time, she was going to make sure that it stayed that way until he was her husband. "I love you," she whispered after a while.

"I love you too, Gabby. And I always will. Forever."

"Forever," she whispered back.

This time, they both meant it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yayyyyyyyy! It feels so good to have a chapter finally posted! Again, I'm sorry it took me so long you guys, but I hope that the cuteness made up for the wait! Also, what is with both of them going out all of time now? I JUST WANT MY COUPLE BACK. COME ON, DICK WOLF. MY HEART IS BROKEN. FIX IT WITH DAWSEY HAPPNIESS. **

****Anyway, rant over. :] Please take the time to review, you guys! I love hearing what you have to say! Thanks for all the positive feedback this far! ****


	8. Why Wait?

**A/N: Hi guys! Back with another chapter! Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight: Why Wait<strong>

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><p>Now that Gabby had her ring back, it was safe to say that everything felt right in the world. She was back together with Matt, and the both of them were happy. They hadn't let anyone know that they were back together yet, but they were okay with that. They were just happy to be a couple again.<p>

It was funny how life worked sometimes. Needless to say, the saying of _you don't know what you had until it's gone_, is extremely true. That was lesson both Gabby and Matt had learned in a very short amount of time.

"Babe, we should start planning our wedding." Casey mentioned as they walked through the front door to their apartment. "Have you given any thought of who you want to be here?"

Dawson, who was trailing behind her fiancé suddenly became very quiet. "No, not yet." She finally replied, tucking some of her brown hair behind her ear as she cleared her throat. "Have you?"

Matt's face fell as he turned around to look at girl. He knew Gabby very well, and it was easy for him to see that something was upsetting her. "Baby, what is it?" He asked, as he gently brushed her cheek with his thumb. His blue orbs had locked with her brown ones, and that's when he had been able to notice the sadness that she was trying so hard to hide.

"It's nothing too important, It's almost ridiculous really," she shook her head. "But I was thinking that we should do a very small wedding. You know, maybe just you, me, and Kelly."

It was in that moment the light bulb had clicked over Matt's head. "Shay," he breathed.

Gabby simply nodded her head, knowing that if she opened her mouth to speak, even if it was just a simple "yes", that she would start crying.

"I'm sorry baby," he apologized. "I wasn't thinking. I wish that she could be there with us too. You know, just the four of us. It would've been perfect."

"Yeah, it would've been," the brunette agreed, forcing a small smile.

"Don't worry, Gabs. Shay will be there with us in spirit."

"I know," she said. "But I just think that it would be better if it was you, me and Kelly. Not that I don't love everyone else there at fifty-one, because of course I do. They're my family. Our family. I just don't want there to be too many people. I want our wedding to be very….personal and private, you know?"

"Sounds good to me, baby. Whatever you want. You're the bride, so it's your wedding," he winked.

Gabby laughed softly as she stretched up on her tippy toes so she could kiss him. "Babe, it's your wedding too." She reminded the blond firefighter.

"Eh, maybe," Casey agreed, shrugging one shoulder. "But we both know it's you who gets to make all of the final calls."

Dawson couldn't help but to laugh again. "Are you implying something, Matthew Casey?" She questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

"Hmmm...it's possible," Casey teased as he wrapped his arms around the waist of Dawson before pulling her closer and kissing her.

"And what would that be?" She asked, kissing him back. "That I'm a bridezilla?"

"I don't know, are you?" He laughed when he saw the look on his fiancée's face. "Oh shut up!" She pouted as she smacked his chest playfully. "I will _not _turn into one of those!"

"We'll see babe." he replied laughing as he winked at her.

* * *

><p>A couple of days later, Matt had asked Kelly to meet him at a local bar for a guys night. He didn't want to go to Molly's simply because Gabby would be working tonight, and he didn't want to distract her. He also planned on asking Kelly to be his best man at his and Gabby's wedding that would be taking place in a couple of months.<p>

The couple had decided that they didn't want to wait too much longer to get married. After everything that they had been through the last few months as a couple, it made them realize that they were infact made for one another.

So, why wait?

"So what's up man? What made you want to have a random guys night?" Kelly asked his blond friend before taking a sip of his beer.

"Well," Matt started as he too took a sip before clearing his throat. "Dawson and I have gotten back together. We're keeping it on the downlow though. You're the only person who knows about it right now, and we're probably going to keep it that way. We want to get married soon. Like really soon. Probably within the next couple of months or so. We want you to be our witness. And I would love for you to be my best man."

A smile crossed Kelly's lips as he looked at Casey. "So _that's_ why you've been happier than usual, huh?" He grinned. "I'm happy for you man, both you and Dawson. I always knew that the two of you would get back together. Everyone knows that you two belong together. And I do mean _everyone_."

Casey pushed his best friend playfully. "Whatever man. When you find _the one_, you just know, okay? But Dawson wants it to just be the three of us, and I wanna give her whatever she wants."

"Dude," Kelly commented, laughing. "She has you _so _wrapped around her finger." He laughed again. "It's cute though," he said, showing his softer side. "The two of you are cute."

The bond firefighter smiled, and then he took another sip of his beer. "You know that if Shay was still with us that it would've most definitely been the four of us," he said quietly before taking a bigger sip. "That was one of the things Gabby had mentioned to me. It was hard for her to say aloud."

"I know man," Severide said softly, his tone of voice suddenly becoming very serious. "Losing Shay will always be hard for Gabby because she still blames herself." He sighed, raking a hard through his hair. "She blames herself because she and Shay had switched places. I think that sometimes Dawson feels like Shay is the one who should still be here with us, you know? But that's a hard thing to live with, knowing that the two of them had switched places. That goddamn bomb, man…." Kelly trailed off, shaking his head.

"I know," Casey whispered, feeling guilty for bringing up the subject of Shay. "I'm sorry man, I shouldn't have brought her up."

"No, no, don't apologize dude. It's okay. I miss talking about Shay, and sometimes it really does help to talk about her. She was my best friend, and I will always love her. No matter what. She's with me everyday, Casey." He told his friend as he pointed to his heart. "She'll be happy that the two of you are _finally_ getting married too," he laughed a little. "I'm sure she'll make sure that the weather is perfect that day. Where do you and Dawson wanna get married?"

"On the beach," Casey smiled as he pictured Dawson in a wedding dress.

Severide smiled back, and then he thought for a moment before he spoke again. "You know man, I have all of these DVD's of Shay at my place. We kinda had that weird friendship where we would document things at times," he said laughing. "But I'm sure Gabby would love to see them too. So why don't you text her and see if she would wanna join us?"

"That sounds like the perfect idea, Kelly." Casey agreed as the two left their tabs on the table. "She should be off of work by now, too. So it'll work out," he added, and then he sent a text to Dawson.

_Meet me at Kelly's in fifteen minutes. He has some special to show us._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yayyyy! Another chapter is finished! I don't think that this fic will be too much longer, I don't want to drag it out. So there'll probably be two more chapters or so. But I've enjoyed writing it, and I've been really surprised by all of the positive feedback! Thank you so much! I love you guys! Now all we need is for Dawsey to get back together on the show! My hearttttt. I miss them and their cuteness!**

**OH, and I meant to say in the last chapter, the four songs they used as their songs, I absolutely LOVE them. Especially **_**Never Stop**_ **and **_**May I**_**. You should most definitely check them out! **


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